Worth It
by Bella and Dora
Summary: Don't suggest things to a crazy person. Set in the third Cursed Child timeline where the Dark wins the Battle of Hogwarts.


**Bella gave me a terrible idea at 2:30am, so here it is. I am surprised that it worked so well, as I would never have believed Bellatrix to do such things.**

**Do enjoy xD**

**Dora**

* * *

It was the 15th Anniversary of Voldemort Day, and Bellatrix Lestrange stood between her husband and her daughter, listening to her master's speech. Rodolphus seemed distracted slightly, but at least seemed to be listening, but Delphi stood at attention.

"We must strengthen our pureblood lines," the Dark Lord was saying. "There is a large need for more of a pureblood presence among us. Many of the families have died out or have been destroyed: we must save as many pureblood families as possible to keep our magical world strong."

Rodolphus seemed deep in thought about this, but Bellatrix didn't even blink. It was not until she was getting ready for bed that her master's words came back to her. She could list many families that no longer existed, and also many that had no heir to continue the family name.

Bella frowned as she looked in the mirror from her seat on her bed. Even the House of Lestrange would be dying out, whenever Rodolphus was gone, as Rabastan had been killed by a small band of rebels a couple years before.

A chill went down her spine. That was her husband's family—his very name and image. It was a pity that Rabastan was gone—Bellatrix got to her feet, her eyes narrowed at herself. She would not allow it to happen: she would obey the Dark Lord's command.

Grabbing a robe, Bellatrix threw it on over her nightgown and rushed off to find Rodolphus.

* * *

For months, Bella had no results for all her efforts, but one week, when she felt the awful feeling of sickness and jumped out of bed, running to the bathroom, she just knew that it had finally happened. She drew her wand and cleaned herself up, leaning back against the wall.

Taking a deep breath, she did the test spell, gasping at the results even though she knew what it had been going to be. She would tell her husband right away—but she couldn't.

Bellatrix turned even more pale as she realised that she would have to tell her master first, and then probably Delphi as well. She made her way back to her bed, ordering potions to be brought to her room. She would wait a couple weeks and then go to her master about it in case it wasn't to be.

Those plans were disrupted when the Dark Lord Summoned her the following evening—and he was most displeased that she could not control her gag reflex. She was thrown to the floor as he asked her what her problem was, and she cursed herself inwardly.

"My Lord," she whispered as she pulled herself to her knees. "I—I'm pregnant."

He seemed both pleased and annoyed. "Another, Bellatrix?"

Bellatrix cringed, for no part of the situation had gone the right way. "It's Rodolphus' child," she almost whimpered.

"Ah." Her master closed his robes and asked, "When did you plan to tell me, Bella?"

"I didn't know if it would survive—I've lost several of his," Bellatrix breathed. "Of course he doesn't know; I would never tell him first—he's awful when he knows I lost a baby. I was going to tell you soon—" she cringed at his expression. "I've been trying for months—"

"You did this on purpose?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Last year—you said we shouldn't let the pureblood families die out," Bellatrix whispered., looking down at her hands. "I thought I should try—but I was being stupid." She shook her head. "I'll probably lose it anyway."

He smiled in amusement, and it scared her slightly. "Get up." She obeyed, and he said, "You have always obeyed my commands to the best of your abilities, Bella, and you continue to do so. You may go, but before you tell your husband, make sure to tell Delphini."

Bellatrix teared up even though she fought against it, and her master got to his feet. "I forgot how emotional you are when pregnant," he said. "Make sure to see a Healer, and stay safe. I expect you to know your limits."

"Yes, My Lord," she whispered. "Thank you, My Lord."

He took her by the arms, kissing her lips. "You belong to me," he said. "Do not forget."

"I won't," Bella promised, and left the room quickly.

* * *

"Come in." Delphini Riddle, nearly sixteen years old, turned to see her mother enter her room, the older witch seeming very nervous. "Mother," she said thoughtfully. "What's bothering you?"

Bellatrix sat down on the bed, wringing her hands, and Delphi frowned. "Mother, what's wrong?" she asked, approaching her mother.

"I—I," Bellatrix began, then blurted out, "I'm pregnant."

Delphi looked surprised. "Oh," she said. "So I won't be an only child?"

"It's Rod's," Bellatrix said, and cringed at her daughter's look of surprise. "But this doesn't mean I love you any less—"

"Mum, it's okay," Delphi said, placing a hand on Bella's shoulder. "I assume my father knows?"

Bella nodded. "Rod doesn't know yet," she whispered. "I'm scared I'll lose it."

Delphi sat down and wrapped her arms around her mother. "You're strong," she told Bellatrix. "You can do this."

The woman sniffed, trying to control herself. "I shouldn't have done this."

"You wanted another child?" Delphi asked her mother.

"Well—your father said that we needed to keep the pureblood families going," Bellatrix began, then took a deep breath. "So I thought about Rodolphus and his family—I know I was being stupid, but now…." Bellatrix rubbed her stomach nervously.

"When are you going to tell him?" Delphi asked.

Bella bit her lip. "I don't know," she murmured. "I don't want to do it too soon...I don't want him to be angry."

Delphi nodded. "He'll be very happy, won't he?"

"He'll be a nervous wreck," Bellatrix groaned. "I can't deal with him."

"Rodolphus ought to adore you for even thinking of doing this," Delphi said firmly. "Come to me if you ever need to get away from him."

"I will," Bellatrix whispered. "Thank you." Delphi smiled at her, and Bellatrix left the room.

* * *

Rodolphus entered his wife's room a couple weeks later, answering her summons. "You called, _Ma Belle_," he said, approaching her as she sat on the bed in her nightgown.

Bellatrix patted the bed beside her, not saying a word, and Rodolphus reluctantly sat down. "Is something wrong, Bella?" he asked.

"I have a surprise for you," she smirked at him, and he raised an eyebrow. "Close your eyes."

"Bella, no," Rodolphus said with a frown. "I'm not playing your games."

"Come on, Roddy," Bellatrix said, her eyes bright with excitement. "I won't hurt you this time. Please."

Rodolphus huffed in annoyance and closed his eyes. "Fine," he said. "What's the surprise?"

Bellatrix got to her feet and took something out from under her blanket. "Don't look!" she commanded him, then moved forward and placed it in his hands. "Okay," she breathed. "Look at it."

Rodolphus unfolded the material, his eyes widening as he realised what it was. "Again?" he asked, his mind spinning, his heart pounding.

Bellatrix reached out and grabbed his hand. "Don't be stupid," she said earnestly. "This is your baby, Rodolphus—your heir."

He frowned, and she performed the ancestry spell on herself. Rodolphus stared in shock. "Bella," he breathed. "Really?" He reached over and wrapped his arms around his wife. "Bella—how did this happen?"

"I decided that…the House of Lestrange doesn't need to die out," Bellatrix sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Don't ask my why. I've been trying to conceive for months—"

"Bellatrix, I can't believe this," Rodolphus breathed, his face buried in her hair. "Oh, when is the baby to arrive?"

"November sometime," she murmured. "If everything goes well."

"Oh, Bella," he murmured, embracing her lovingly. "This is an amazing news!" Rodolphus continued to be joyful for several minutes, then gave her a look of concern. "Surely you've already told the Dark Lord?"

Bellatrix nodded. "And Delphi," she added. "Neither of them seemed very upset. The Dark Lord said that I still obey his commands to the best of my abilities."

Rodolphus looked at her carefully. "Did he order you to do this?"

"No, no," Bellatrix scoffed. "He wouldn't—but you remember the speech last year, about building our pureblood families? I—I've been trying to conceive since then."

The man embraced her again, closing his eyes as he whispered in her ear, "Thank you, Bella. I—"

"Well, it's not here yet, so save that for later," she sighed. "Rodolphus—"

"Shhh," he said. "I won't think like that, Bella."

"I don't want you to get upset if something happens," sighed Bellatrix. "My record isn't good."

Rodolphus frowned. "But how many of those did you lose on purpose?"

"None!" Bellatrix said angrily. "You caused at least two, and I was injured in battle for another—the rest just happened!"

"All right, all right," he said placatingly. "I shouldn't have said that."

Bellatrix knew he didn't really believe her, but she was grateful that he shut up. He didn't even know how many times she'd tried in her younger days, before Delphi. He was not aware of how much she agonised over each baby that she'd lost: he couldn't know.

Rodolphus kissed her cheeks softly. "May I stay with you?"

"Fine," she sighed. "But don't you dare complain if I wake you up during the night."

He agreed, and she summoned her potions to take them before bed.

* * *

As the days went on, Rodolphus stayed close to his wife, even when Delphi visited. He knew it annoyed her that he was so obsessed with her and her growing baby bump, but he couldn't help it. He had waited for decades to finally have an heir, and he wanted to fully appreciate every minute of the journey.

When she was very pregnant, Rodolphus stayed with her all the time, many times acting as her pillow when she would nap. She was very uncomfortable, often whimpering in misery as she tried to find some way to rest. Rodolphus was patient with her, and eventually, she found a position that worked to rest.

Unfortunately, she soon stirred, wrapping her arm around her stomach, and Rodolphus asked, "Bella, are you okay?"

"He won't stop kicking!" Bella sniffed back tears. "He just moves all the time!"

"Baby," Rodolphus murmured, placing his hand on her stomach. "Behave for Mum. She needs rest."

A kick responded to his words, and Bellatrix groaned. "I shouldn't have done this. I'm so tired, and I don't feel well."

Rodolphus gently rubbed her back and said nothing. She was due any day, and she was miserable, often wishing that it would come soon—and wishing more often that she hadn't conceived the child in the first place.

Still, it was about a week later that Bellatrix went into labour. She didn't tell her husband immediately, but by the time she ordered him to get the Healer, she was already in a lot of pain. Rodolphus annoyed her so much that she yelled at him that if he didn't calm down, she was going to curse him.

Rodolphus went to her side as she lay down, whimpering as she tried to work through her contractions. "Bella, imagine a field of flowers—"

"Imagine my dagger in your eye," Bellatrix spat at him. "Shut up!"

Rodolphus shut up.

The Healer arrived, quickly checking the labouring witch and telling her that she was at an eight. "Good," gasped Bellatrix. "Thank goodness."

"Just a little longer," said Rodolphus, and she glared at him.

About an hour later, the witch shrieked in pain as she struggled to push the baby out of her. Her husband held her hand, watching the progress and telling her what he saw. Finally, she managed to do it, not remembering Delphi's birth to hurt so much, and collapsed back onto the bed.

"Here," the Healer smiled, placing the child on the mother's chest as it cried shrilly. "It's a boy."

"Oh," Bellatrix gasped, her arms moving to hold the child. "Rodolphus—"

"I heard." Rodolphus was smiling, his eyes unusually bright as he watched his newborn son wriggle in Bella's arms.

The Healer tidied up the mess that had been made and gave Bellatrix a couple potions to strengthen her. "I'll leave you to it," she said. "Congratulations."

As soon as she could, Bellatrix handed the child over to Rodolphus. "Your son, Lestrange," she smirked.

Rodolphus looked down at the newborn and murmured, "Desmond Rodolphus...you're a little miracle."

"Here." Bellatrix handed over the bottle so Rodolphus could offer it to the child. "He's not bad-looking, is he?" she said, watching the baby in her husband's arms.

"He's beautiful," Rodolphus whispered, looking up in annoyance when there was a knock on the door.

"It's Delphi," breathed Bellatrix. "I asked for her to come see me as soon as the baby came." She waved the door open and her daughter walked in immediately.

"Mother," Delphi said formally, pausing for a moment before continuing to the woman's bedside. "You're all right?"

Bellatrix nodded, motioning to the baby in Rodolphus' arms. "This is Desmond Rodolphus, after his father and grandfather."

Delphi moved over to Rodolphus to see the new little one. "Dark hair, just like you both," Delphi smiled. "He's going to be a heartbreaker, isn't he?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "One way or another," she replied.

"May I hold him?" asked Delphi, looking at the baby.

"No," said Rodolphus shortly.

"Rodolphus!" Bellatrix snapped. "Don't be stupid. Give her the child."

Rodolphus hesitated, then lay his only child in Delphi's arms. The young witch sat down on the bed, smiling at the little one. "Hi, Des," she cooed at him. "Welcome to the manor."

Delphi looked up at the baby's parents after a few minutes. "Technically, he's my brother," she said, "though I doubt we'll be allowed to claim that." She gently placed the baby in her mother's arms as he gave a small cry.

The man didn't look at Delphi, his eyes on the baby boy in his wife's arms. Bellatrix shared a look with her daughter, and Delphi turned and left the room.

"Rodolphus!" Bellatrix said in fury. "I did not have this baby for you to become an insolent—"

"I didn't mean to!" Rodolphus snapped at her. "I just...I just want to make sure he's safe."

"Offending Delphi is _not_ the way to go about it!" said Bellatrix in frustration as she tried to calm Desmond. "This child is the safest if Delphi is okay with him."

"I know," Rodolphus sighed. "I—I'm just nervous."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "You've been loyal all these years, Roddy," she said. "Don't make them think it was a mistake for me to give you an heir."

He nodded, a look of pain in his eyes, and she lay back on her pillows, the baby nestled against her chest. "I need to rest," she sighed. "When the baby's asleep, put him in the cradle."

Rodolphus obeyed, but as he turned to put his son in the cradle, he gasped, seeing Delphi standing behind him. "I thought you left!"

"Shhh, you'll wake the baby," Delphi warned him with a smirk. "Go on." She watched as he very carefully lay his precious heir in the cradle, then asked, "Do you think it was worth it? All that you've been through?"

"It could have been so much easier," Rodolphus replied after a moment of thought, "but I'm grateful—" he stopped talking and shook his head. "I'd given up hope."

"You have nothing to fear as long as your son is raised properly," Delphi said quietly. "You've given Mum a difficult time, and she's done the same to you, I know—but you've stayed faithful. That's commendable, Rodolphus. I have hope that this child will develop some of your excellent qualities."

"I hope he's better than me," answered Rodolphus, still watching his sleeping son. "I'll do anything in my power to protect him."

Delphini Riddle smiled at his words. "I know you will."

* * *

Eighteen-year-old Delphi apparated home from Hogwarts, having gone there to advise the Headmistress on a situation. She entered the manor, moving toward her father's meeting room to give her report.

The sound of little feet caused her to look around just before her little half-brother crashed into her legs. "Delphi!" he cheered.

"Desmond," Delphi said in amusement, seeing a couple Death Eaters watching them and bending down to take him into her arms. "Where's Mum and Dad?" she asked the toddler.

The boy shrugged, an adorable grin on his face as he wrapped his little arms around her. "Come play," he said, tugging on a strand of her silver hair. "Please."

"I have to speak with my father first," Delphi answered, nearly sighing as she decided she would take the child with her.

"Okay," the toddler sighed, knowing that he was not allowed to talk in front of his sister's dad.

As soon as Delphi entered the room with Desmond held on her hip, her father frowned at her. "Why isn't the boy with a parent?"

"He met me near the gates," Delphi replied. "He says he doesn't know where they are...but—" she tested the wards "—they're in Rod's room."

"Ah," said the Dark Lord.

Delphi rolled her eyes. "Mum's going to get pregnant again if she's not careful."

Her father did not respond to this. "How did you find the Headmistress?" he inquired in Parseltongue.

Delphi smirked and replied in the same. "The trouble student will be taken care of," she assured her father.

As they talked, Desmond began to get bored, wriggling around and humming before also pretending to hiss at Delphi. She tolerated it for a little while before saying, "Desmond, stop."

He gave her an innocent grin, and she couldn't help giggling. "I know you're not talking, but you're making noise," she warned him.

Desmond merely grinned and began to play with her hair again, Delphi turned back to her father. He looked displeased, and said, "Perhaps you should take him to his parents."

She got to her feet immediately. "Of course, Father," she answered, and quickly took the child from the room.

"Delphi, why do you talk like that?" the boy asked as soon as they had left the room.

"It's a special gift," answered Delphi, walking toward Rodolphus' room. "That's how snakes and serpents talk, Des."

"How?" Desmond asked.

"It's like magic," Delphi answered the child. "We just do."

The toddler frowned, and Delphi flung magic at the door to Rodolphus' room. Two minutes later, Bellatrix opened the door, her face flushed, her hair more wild than usual, and said, "Oh—you took him out of the nursery?"

The boy laughed, and Delphi answered, "He was wandering about the manor—greeted me at the door."

"Oh," frowned Bellatrix. "I locked the door—" her eyes lit up. "Desmond, did you let yourself out of your room?"

"Yeah," Desmond grinned. "I wanted you—but I found Delphi."

"Oh, good job!" Bella said proudly, taking her son from Delphi.

Delphi sighed. "Mother, he...he can't be running around by himself until he knows how to behave."

Bellatrix frowned. "He knows—"

"He was humming and pretending to speak Parseltongue while I was trying to talk to my father," Delphi said, shaking her head.

"He—" Bellatrix started giggling, and Delphi couldn't help grinning at the child. "We'll fix the ward," she told her daughter as Rodolphus came out of the room.

"Oh," said Rodolphus. "He was awake?"

"Awake and escaped," Delphi replied. "He's getting more resourceful—let himself out of his room."

Rodolphus was immediately concerned. "Where did you find him?"

Bellatrix grinned. "He found her in the Entrance Hall."

"He ran up and gave me a hug," Delphi said, "and I asked him where you were, and he didn't know." She shook her head. "I don't mind him, but...Father doesn't like children much. Be more careful with Des: I like him."

"We will," Bellatrix grinned, her eyes widening before she quickly handed Desmond over to his father and rushed away from them.

"Where's Mum going?" pouted Desmond, twisting to look after his mother.

"To the Dark Lord," Rodolphus answered solemnly. "It's our duty, Desmond. We do what he asks, and he rewards us when we obey his orders."

"He talks funny," Desmond informed his dad. "Delphi too."

Delphi raised an eyebrow, then turned and walked away, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.


End file.
